Civil Rights history in Virginia has a complicated legacy. As the home of the capital of the Confederacy, it’s arguable that Virginia was the center of some of the hardest fought battles during the Civil Rights Movement. In fact, it was in Virginia that the National Association for the Advancement…
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When you think of Virginia Beach, you probably think of summer vacations with the family. But did you know about the coastal city’s history as a retreat for Hollywood celebrities, presidents, and the rich and famous? A Small Beach Town Embraces The Finer Things Photo Credit: Matt Long…
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As the first, largest and most prosperous of the British colonies in America, Virginia provided four of the first five presidents of the United States — eight in all, more than any other state. In the Broadway musical HAMILTON (available through Disney+!), Alexander Hamilton tells of his frequent…
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In August 1619, “some 20 and odd” Africans arrived at Point Comfort, site of Fort Monroe in Hampton, after being forced from their villages in present-day Angola and pushed onto a Portuguese slave ship headed for the New World. Nearing its destination, the slave ship was confronted by two English…
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Join us during the month of July in the birthplace of American democracy at Jamestown for special programs, exhibits, and performances marking the 400 th anniversary of the First Representative Legislative Assembly in the New World. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND America’s first permanent English…
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When you look around Lynchburg, you may take in the views of the picture-esque Blue Ridge Mountains or the mighty James River or even the iconic hillside cityscape. But, look closer: you’ll see a world of history is surrounding you—and it’s yours to explore. Here’s what awaits you. American Civil…
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Growing up in Virginia and knowing the amount of history that happened here is something I took for granted, as many do. School trips to places like Jamestown and Mount Vernon were never too far a drive, and even George Washington’s childhood home in Fredericksburg was only a stone’s throw…
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**This post is written in partnership with Amtrak Virginia and Virginia Department of Rail & Public Transportation.** Virginia’s cities are thriving - and Amtrak takes you right to the heart of them! This fall, Amtrak wants to make Washington D.C. & Virginia's top rail destinations even more…
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Poe and Petersburg A little history of the Hiram Haines House. 12 West Bank Street started as an Inn and Restaurant in 1814, and by 1829 was operated by Hiram Haines as a coffee house. Its real claim to fame lies in the fact that in 1836 Edgar Allan Poe, a friend of Haines, spent his honeymoon in…
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If you haven’t already set your travel plans for the 4 th of July in Virginia, consider heading to one of these spectacular fireworks shows, happening in every corner of the Commonwealth. —COASTAL VIRGINIA— Fireworks over Norfolk Celebrate the birth of our nation at historic Colonial Williamsburg’s…
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